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RoboCop (1987 film)
This article is about the 1987 film, For the 2014 film see RoboCop (2014 film). RoboCop is a 1987 American cyberpunk action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Kurtwood Smith, Miguel Ferrer, and Ronny Cox. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit, Michigan, in the near future, RoboCop centers on police officer Alex Murphy (Weller) who is murdered by a gang of criminals and subsequently revived by the megacorporation Omni Consumer Products (OCP) as a superhuman cyborg law enforcer known as RoboCop. Plot In a dystopian future, Detroit, Michigan is a struggling city on the verge of total collapse due to financial ruin and a high crime rate. The mayor signs a deal with the mega-corporation Omni Consumer Products (OCP), giving it complete control of the underfunded Detroit Police Department. In exchange, OCP will be allowed to turn the run-down sections of Detroit into a high-end utopia called Delta City. OCP's Senior Vice President Richard "Dick" Jones proposes assisting the police with the ED-209 law enforcement droid. At its first demonstration, however, ED-209 malfunctions and gruesomely kills an innocent young executive named Kinney. Robert "Bob" Morton, an ambitious executive, uses the opportunity to introduce his own experimental cyborg design, "RoboCop". To Jones's anger, the company chairman—referred to as the Old Man—approves Morton's plan. OCP reassigns officers into crime-ridden districts in anticipation that someone will be killed in action for use as a test subject for RoboCop. Elsewhere, Officer Alexander James "Alex" Murphy, who has been transferred from Metro South, joins the force and becomes partners with Officer Anne Lewis. On their first patrol, they chase a gang of criminals led by the notorious Clarence Boddicker, which leads to one crew member getting thrown at the police car. The distraction allows Boddicker's gang to hide in an abandoned steel mill where Murphy and Lewis separate on foot to find them. While Murphy manages to kill one of them and attempts to arrest another, he is caught by Boddicker and the others; the gang tortures Murphy, brutally gunning him down before Boddicker delivers the finishing blow. He is declared dead, and OCP selects him as the RoboCop candidate; they replace most of his body with cybernetics, leaving only his human brain. RoboCop is programmed with three prime directives, including to serve the public trust, protect the innocent, and uphold the law, he has also been programmed with a fourth directive which has been classified. RoboCop, assigned to Murphy's former district, proceeds to efficiently rid the streets of crime. Despite this, however, the deteriorating situation in Detroit, led by the mismanagement of OCP, causes the human officers to threaten to strike. Lewis, who witnessed Murphy's "death", believes RoboCop is Murphy, based on his exhibiting some behaviors from his old life. As RoboCop suffers from latent memories from Murphy, he discovers his true identity and that his wife and son moved away after Murphy's death. Meanwhile, Jones becomes frustrated when Morton gets promoted for his latest success with RoboCop's reputation; fearing that he will be displaced, Jones discreetly hires Boddicker to kill Morton at his home. During a hold-up at a gas station, RoboCop recognizes the robber as Boddicker's henchman Emil Antonowsky, and after a shootout that results in the gas station exploding and Emil being injured, manages to arrest him. RoboCop reviews police records, identifies Boddicker and the other gang members before confronting them at a drug deal. During his arrest, Boddicker admits to being hired by Jones, with this evidence getting recorded on video. Jones openly admits his role in Morton's death. RoboCop attempts to arrest Jones, which results in triggering Directive 4: RoboCop will shut down if he attempts to arrest any senior executive of OCP. With RoboCop's programming limiting his abilities, Jones sends an ED-209 stationed in his office to attack RoboCop, severely damaging him with its heavier firepower. RoboCop manages to evade ED-209, but is ambushed by a Special Weapons and Tactics unit which has been authorized by Jones to eliminate RoboCop. Lewis, who had been following RoboCop, helps him escape to safety at the steel mill and undergo repairs. The police follow through with their strike, creating chaos in the city. Boddicker and his gang are released from prison and acquire new high-powered rifles from Jones to finish off RoboCop. Boddicker, using a tracking system provided to him by Jones, heads towards the steel mill. RoboCop and Lewis work together to eliminate the gang; Lewis gets shot by Boddicker before he attacks RoboCop, who stabs Boddicker fatally in the neck. RoboCop subsequently heads to OCP headquarters alone, barges in on an executive meeting where the Old Man and Jones are present, and shows them the video of Jones' confession. Jones quickly takes the Old Man hostage, knowing that Directive 4 still protects him. The Old Man promptly fires Jones, which cancels Directive 4 against Jones and allows RoboCop to shoot him, who falls out of a window to his death. Grateful, the Old Man commends RoboCop's shooting and asks what his name is; RoboCop smiles and answers, "Murphy". Cast * Peter Weller as Alex Murphy/RoboCop * Nancy Allen as Anne Lewis * Ronny Cox as Dick Jones * Kurtwood Smith as Clarence Boddicker * Miguel Ferrer as Bob Morton * Dan O'Herlihy as "The Old Man" (OCP Chairman) * Paul McCrane as Emil Antonowsky * Ray Wise as Leon Nash * Jesse D. Goins as Joe Cox * Calvin Jung as Steve Minh * Michael Gregory as Lt. Hedgecock * Robert DoQui as Sergeant Warren Reed * Felton Perry as Donald Johnson * Lee de Broux as Sal * S. D. Nemeth as Bixby Snyder Sequels and Reboot RoboCop was followed by two sequels: RoboCop 2 (1990) and RoboCop 3 (1993) and a reboot RoboCop (2014). Gallery Trivia Category:RoboCop Films Category:1987